With summer in full swing, here are some local ice cream companies that offer event catering and takeaway treats.
1. Pastry chef Jessica Oloroso opened Black Dog Gelato in May. The bakery's namesake treat comes in unusual flavors such as goat cheese-cashew-caramel and avocado-cinnamon. Olosoro can pack six flavors into a pushcart that serves as many as 300 guests at meetings and events in the city and suburbs. Other Black Dog treats include gelato cookie sandwiches, frozen cakes and pies, and seasonal sorbets in flavors such as cucumber-rosewater and watermelon-kiwi. The cost is $2 per guest with an additional $100 rental fee for the cart. A server costs $25 per hour with a four-hour minimum.
2. Roscoe Village's Gyood specializes in low-fat soft-serve ice cream. The shop's delivery program brings sundaes, ice-cream-topped brownies, and root beer floats to offices and event spaces in the city and suburbs. For gatherings with 50 or fewer guests, Gyood's owners require 24 hours notice. With 72 hours notice, they can arrange catering for groups of 100 or more. Event packages start at $3 per person, and there is no delivery charge for catering.
3. Nice Cream, a seasonal ice cream company, churns out treats in flavors such as peaches and cream and fresh strawberry with angel food cake. Owner Kris Swanberg can create custom flavors that incorporate a company's colors or reflect the theme of an event. Depending on the flavor, the cost of the first gallon is $40 to $50, and the price drops when additional gallons are ordered. Swanberg's custom creations require three weeks' notice, and hosts can pick the ice cream up at the company's Logan Square kitchen. For an additional fee, local delivery or shipping is also an option.
